Among new players, Ola, Lyft, Didi Kuaidi and GrabTaxi have agreed to partner so that customers can book rides in each other’s apps across their different regions.

We are also is receiving messages – at an increasing frequency – of legacy and startup ground transportation players offering themselves for sale.

Ground partnerships and acquisitions will continue in the coming years for two reasons:

Markets will not support so many companies offering duplicate services.

Customers are looking for a consistent experience. Travel is inherently global. In the ride space, travelers want reliable, on-time, and convenient experiences, each and every time.

They don’t want to memorize which apps work for rides in which countries. They don’t want to carry local currencies for each trip. They also have more confidence in a global brand they know than a local one they don’t.

Which ground transportation companies do you think are next to be acquired or more tightly integrate in 2016?

Let us know in the comments below.

NB: This is an opinion by Jens Wohltorf, CEO and co-founder at Blacklane.

Changes in the hotel and accommodation industry are foreshadowing what is to come in ground transportation. Specifically, I expect 2016 to be a year of consolidation in the ground travel market. NB: This is an opinion by Jens Wohltorf, CEO and co-founder at Blacklane. Looking back at the accommodation...